Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Pineapple is a sweet and savory ultra shredded pork recipe that is perfectly tender! Crisp it up in a frying pan after shredding it for crispy shredded pork!
If you love all things shredded pork, this may just be your new favorite recipe! If you made my Instant Pot Pulled Pork and Apples, the concept is very similar here.
We’re taking a pork roast and pressure cooking it in the Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker of choice) with onion, garlic, spices, and chunks of pineapple.
The result is incredibly flavorful and tender pork, ready in a fraction of the time that is perfect for burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tostadas, tacos, you name it!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Ingredients:
Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast: Use any kind of pork roast you can get your hands on, including Boston butt roast or pork tenderloin (or pork loin roast).
Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the onion and brown the roast prior to pressure cooking, we need a quality cooking oil.
Yellow or Red Onion: Fresh onion brings a big surge of flavor to shredded pork! Be sure to thoroughly sauté it until it is almost caramelized for the best flavor.
Ground Cumin, Paprika, Garlic Powder: These seasonings bring earthy, smoky, bold flavors to the meat. Swap these out for a homemade dry rub if you’d like.
Apple Cider or Apple Juice: It may sound strange, but follow my lead! Apple juice or apple cider adds a subtle sweetness, which helps offset the richness of this main dish. For me, this takes the place of brown sugar, but you can easily add 2 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar or pure maple syrup for added sweetness too.
Canned Pineapple (or fresh pineapple chunks): Bringing a slight tropical flair for a Hawaiian style pulled pork, we toss in some fresh pineapple or canned pineapple.
Fresh Lime Juice: Used to bring sour, tangy flavor to complete the flavor profile. Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar work great as a replacement.
This simple, fresh combination of flavors yields well-seasoned pork with a sweet and tangy flavor. Plus, the pineapple helps tenderize the meat! Be sure to add sea salt to taste, as it works wonders in bringing out all the flavors.
How to Make Instant Pot Pineapple Pulled Pork:
Plug in your Instant Pot and add the avocado oil. Press the Sauté button and wait a minute or two for it to heat up. Add the red onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
Unwrap the pork shoulder from the netting (if applicable) and lay it out on a cutting board (it will likely be folded over on itself or contain multiple pieces, so lay it all out). Sprinkle all sides with sea salt, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Move the onions off to one side of the Instant Pot and place the pork shoulder in the IP. Allow it to brown 3 to 5 minutes, until it has a nice crisp on it. Flip the roast over and brown on the other side another 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and select “Manual.” Make sure it’s set on the high pressure setting and adjust the time for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Leaving the steam valve closed, allow the Instant Pot to do its thing. Once the time is up, allow it to naturally release for at least 20 minutes (up to 1 hour). Turn the quick release valve to let out any remaining pressure.
Remove the lid, and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat (it should fall apart very easily! I often just use tongs to shred the pork).
Transfer the shredded pork back to the Instant Pot and allow it to sit in the juices until ready to serve.
Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions:
Pork Sandwiches: Toast up your favorite sandwich roll and load it up with pulled pork, coleslaw, and any kind of sauce you love, like teriyaki sauce or favorite BBQ sauce.
Crispy Carnitas Tacos: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat on your stove top and add a thin layer of shredded pork. Pan fry it, stirring occasionally, until the pork becomes crispy and golden-brown. Top your warm corn tortillas with crispy pork, cabbage slaw, cilantro, and chopped onions for the best pork tacos!
Pork Nachos: Spread tortilla chips over a large sheet pan and shower them with grated cheese and pulled pork. Bake them in the oven until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Top with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, etc.
Burritos or Burrito Bowls: Load up a burrito or a burrito bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice, grated cheese, black beans, mango salsa, guacamole, and anything else your heart desires!
Pork Sliders: Load up small slider buns with meat, a slice of cheese, and any toppings you love. I go for a classic coleslaw!
Enjoy it alongside side dishes like my Potato Salad, Broccoli Salad, and Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
Tips for The Best Results:
- Allow the pressure cooker to go through its natural pressure release after it runs its pressure cook cycle. This helps soften the connective tissue and produces a more tender result.
- Use this as a base recipe for other flavors! Add in your favorite barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, hot sauce, or spice rub to customize the flavors.
More Instant Pot Meat Recipes:
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Instant Pot Garlic Herb Rotisserie Chicken
- Instant Pot Pot Roast with Balsamic Gravy
- Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
Enjoy all your pork carnitas adventures!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Pineapple
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- ½ red onion
- 3.5 to 4 lbs pork shoulder roast
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ cups apple cider or apple juice
- 1 20-oz can pineapple chunks, undrained (use liquid)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Plug in your pressure cooker and add the avocado oil. Press the Sauté button and wait a minute or two for it to heat up. Add the red onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Unwrap the pork shoulder from the netting (if applicable) and lay it out on a cutting board (it will likely be folded over on itself or contain multiple pieces, so lay it all out). Sprinkle all sides with sea salt, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Move the onions off to one side of the Instant Pot and place the pork shoulder in the IP. Allow it to brown 3 to 5 minutes, until it has a nice crisp on it. Flip the roast over and brown on the other side another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and select “Manual.” Make sure it’s set on the high pressure setting and adjust the time for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Leaving the steam valve closed, allow the Instant Pot to do its thing. Once the time is up, allow it to naturally release for at least 20 minutes (up to 1 hour).
- Remove the lid, and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat (it should fall apart very easily! I often just use tongs to shred the pork).
- Transfer the shredded pork back to the Instant Pot and allow it to sit in the juices until ready to serve.
- Note: If you’d like crispy shredded pork carnitas, heat a skillet over medium-high heat on your stove top and add a thin layer of shredded pork. Pan fry it, stirring occasionally, until the pork becomes crispy and golden-brown.
- Use pineapple shredded pork for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, or serve as-is with side dishes.
